Forecasters warn that the active cyclone crossing the territory of Latvia from the southwest on Sunday will bring long-lasting and heavy rain to the country from the middle of the day, but it will be very heavy in the central regions of Latvia, and thunderstorms are also expected in some places.
A yellow warning is in place for eastern and western districts with a large part of the center of the country subject to a more serious orange warning.
The rain will continue until Monday. The warning is currently in place from 11am Sunday to 6pm Monday as even more severe storms are expected on Monday, though later updates on the path of the storm can be expected.
An orange warning in this case means that due to very heavy rainfall, the soil will become sodden and unable to absorb water, stormwater drainage systems will be overloaded and may overflow. River floodplains and low-lying areas are expected to flood, causing property and infrastructure flooding in some places, while road washouts and other damage are also possible.
Some flooded areas are likely to require evacuation. People should follow the instructions of the responsible authorities. Hazardous road conditions are also expected due to reduced visibility and aquaplaning. Drivers should expect that they need to plan longer trips or take an alternative route.
There is also a risk that electricity and water supply, telecommunication communications will be disrupted due to bad weather conditions. Due to high humidity and flooding, crops and plantations will likely be damaged, too.
Residents are asked not to visit or move into flood-prone areas, not to endanger themselves and not to hinder the rescue services. Rainwater sewerage and drainage systems should be cleared in a timely manner, keeping them in functional order so that the systems can drain rainwater as efficiently as possible.
